Leslie Horn

If you haven't thought much about numbers much since that college calculus class, you might not think about how they're relevant to everyday life, aside from maintaining your bank account and doing your taxes. But Minds of Modern Mathematics, an app from IBM, shows just how important math is in shaping and influencing our day-to-day lives.

What does it do?

It's a re-imagining of an installation made by world-renowned designers Charles and Ray Eames for IBM's 1961 Mathematica exhibition. The 50 foot-wide project has been condensed In an interactive setting, with a timeline that spans about 1,000 years. It lets you explore the math realm, starting in 999 when Pope Sylvester II was accused of being a wizard based on his interest in science and math.

Why do we like it?

Though it would take a while, with this app, you could travel step-by-step through the history of mathematics, and see how the subject influenced culture as a whole. It also includes profiles of tons of mathematicians, images of artifacts from the original exhibit, and nine educational short films from the Eames duo.